Lost in Play Review: no limitation on imagination!

Remember when you were a kid and playing came way more naturally? Back when the imagination meter was cranked up to full blast and just about any situation could magically turn into something fun and creative? A romp in the tall grass became a wild safari, your stuffed animals could talk and tell stories, and the swings at recess were rockets to the heavens. Even though the simpler times have been slowly lost as age creeps up on us, those memories of imaginative fun stay behind forever.

It’s that kind of fun that’s perfectly encapsulated in Lost in Play, a point and click adventure game all about imagination. Developed by Happy Juice Games and published by Joystick Ventures, Lost in Play invites players to “go on a feel-good adventure with a brother and sister as they explore dreamscapes and befriend magical creatures.” Available on both Switch and Steam — and fully compatible with the Steam Deck! — Lost in Play will take you on a wonderfully whimsical journey through space, time, and, of course, imagination.

Lost in Play follows the story of brother and sister duo Toto and Gal, their day beginning with mischievous Gal finding ways to prank her gamer brother. At first, her surroundings are more rooted in the here and now — a living room with toys and coloring books, the family dog snozzing on the stairs, the cat outside in a cardboard box. With a little creative coercion, Gal gets Toto to play with her, the two of them transporting themselves from the realm of reality into the world of make-believe.

For transpacency’s sake, I need to say that I played Lost in Play on my Steam Deck, so I can’t speak for keyboard controls. From my understanding it’s predominantly mouse-based (you know, point and click) with some mini-games requiring keyboard input, but a quick glance at the reviews and discussions on Steam overwhelmingly approve of the control scheme. I will say that it plays beautifully on the Steam Deck with absolutely no issue whatsoever, so if you’re looking for a title to break in your new machine, Lost in Play is a great candidate.

Lost in Play is broken up into two main mechanics — a classic point and click experience mixed in with a variety of mini-game challenges/puzzles. The point and click sections are surprisingly straightforward despite being completely rooted in childlike imagination that doesn’t always follow a train of logic. It’ll feel obvious to give the wrong password instead of gaining entry (to make a needed decor fall from the door), or to hit the hood of a car in a certain way to yield a hidden surprise. I was surprised at how well I was able to understand what I was supposed to do next, even though what was next was often extremely random.

Where the point and click sections may have been somewhat simple to follow, the mini-games definitely posed a challenge. Some of them were actual games you’d play against other characters, like a surprisingly fun (yet difficult) card game or variation of checkers-meets-connect-four, while others are brain-teasers that require some trial and error to get right. Although I really enjoyed most of them — especially the dragon/light puzzle — some took upwards of ten tries to pass. Luckily, there’s a hint system that will help out to some extent… unless you’re playing against an NPC, then you’re unfortunately up a creek without a makeshift paddle.

There are a number of standouts that impressed me about Lost in Play; for one, I really loved the art design and animation. It’s such a fun, vibrant style that really brings out the best of the characters and their world. At certain points the game gets fairly cinematic, which is really impressive for a title that prides itself in being not at all serious. Another thing I loved was the humor, which was varied and found right when you needed it. I particularly liked the sign that never ended, but the one that got the biggest reaction from me was the chicken who drank from a… well, you’ll just have to see for yourself.

Above all, I really enjoyed the flow of the story. Lost in Play tells a very, very tall tale of a brother and sister returning home from a land far, far away, but at its core it remains grounded in familial love instead of sibling rivalry. I quickly found myself falling in love with the pair and their entourage, eager to see them return back to their safe surroundings as quickly as possible. I’m tempted to play it a second time just to see the story play out all over again, its silly jokes and touching moments unfolding all over again.

Lost in Play doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does refine it into something that directly speaks to our inner child. Its juxtaposition of simple point and click storytelling and challenging mini-games makes for a fantastic balance sure to keep things interesting. If you’re ready to explore every corner of your imagination (and then some), Lost in Play is all you’ll need to get started.

Final Verdict: 4/5

Available on: Switch, PC (reviewed); Publisher: Joystick Ventures; Developer: Happy Juice Games; Players: 1; Released: August 10, 2022; MSRP: $19.99

Editor’s note: This review is based on a retail copy of Lost in Play provided by the publisher.